Yüan Shih

Chinese - A supreme Taoist god and rain-god. Son of Pan-ku and T'ai Yüan. When Pan-ku had finished creating the universe he entered through the mouth of an ascetic hermaphodite in the form of a ray of light. Twelve years later the hermit gave birth to Yüan Shih, allegedly through his spine. In another account the ascetic hermit is replaced by the holy virgin T'ai Yüan. Yüan Shih lives in a palace on Jade Mountain and learns about the people on earth from the kitchen-god, Tsao Chün. Others say that he was reincarnated as Chen Wu or Pei-chi-chen-chun. In some accounts, he is equated with Yü Huang. At times, identified as Yüan Shih, T'ien Pao, T'ien Pao, Yü Huang, Yü Shih or Yü Shih.